Making Jam: The Basic Recipe
Making jam is one of the oldest ways to preserve the taste of summer. With this basic recipe, any fruit jam will turn out well.
The Basic Recipe
The classic ratio: 1 kg fruit to 1 kg 1:1 jam sugar. For less sweetness, use 2:1 or 3:1 jam sugar.
Step by Step
- Wash, trim, and cut the fruit into small pieces
- Mix with the jam sugar and let sit for at least 1 hour (overnight is even better)
- Bring to a rolling boil while stirring constantly
- Do the setting test (see below)
- Fill immediately into clean jars and seal – according to the BZfE, do not turn the jars upside down. The NCHFP also recommends a short boiling water bath, because mould spores can get into the jars during filling
The Setting Test
Put a plate in the freezer for 5 minutes, then drop a bit of jam onto it. If the mixture wrinkles together when you nudge it, the setting point has been reached.
Sterilizing
Jars and lids: clean them in the dishwasher or place them in boiling water for at least 5 minutes (BZfE).
Shelf Life
Stored dark at 15–20 °C, spreads keep for about 1 year according to the BZfE. Check regularly: if there is mould in the jar, throw the whole jam away (BZfE, BfR). Keep opened jars in the fridge.
Sources
- German Federal Centre for Nutrition (BZfE): Obst einkochen (Einfache Sprache), accessed 5 Oct 2026
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR): Schimmelpilze in Lebensmitteln, as of 11 Mar 2026, accessed 5 Oct 2026
- National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP), University of Georgia: Why do you recommend processing jams and jellies?, accessed 5 Oct 2026
The sources support individual statements in this article. The organisations named have neither reviewed nor endorsed it.